Needle spiking must be tackled with zero tolerance for perpetrators, warns Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty
IRELAND’S nightlife economy is finally getting back in business after a long 19 months of closure - but with that, so are reports of the disturbing new trend of needle spiking.
Gardai earlier this month confirmed they’ve officially launched a probe after a young woman was allegedly spiked with a needle in a top Dublin venue.
And in the UK, activists say the alarming practice of either injecting a victim with a date rape drug or adding it to their drink has reached “epidemic” levels, with nearly 200 reports of incidents in the past two months.
Thousands staged a boycott of nightclubs and took to British streets on Wednesday night to demand venues increase safety measures.
Fine Gael Seanad Leader Regina Doherty, writing in the Irish Sun on Sunday, warns there must be zero tolerance for the spiking of women with drugs in Irish pubs and clubs.
And Senator Doherty has urged that increased awareness of the issue amongst men is badly needed due to the “sad reality” of just how vigilant women need to be on nights out.
EMERGING DISTRUBING TREND
ARE women less safe than ever before? The worrying stories coming from our streets, our public transport and our clubs and pubs would make you fear so.
One emerging trend is particularly disturbing. It is the appalling act of spiking women and girls with drug filled needles in pubs and clubs.
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We are seeing this on the rise in the UK and unfortunately it is now also being reported by young Irish women on social media.
The sad reality of life is that women have had to be vigilant around their drinks on a night out for many years now, but this new insidious trend of needle spiking can be harder to protect yourself from in a busy club or pub.
As is so often the case with issues of gender-based harassment and violence, much of the conversation is targeted towards women.
INCREASED AWARENESS NEEDED
Of course we really need increased awareness of this appalling practise among women so they can try protect themselves, but we must talk to men too.
Not for one minute would I ever suggest that “all men” are the problem here, but all good men can and should stand up to this where they can.
I say directly to men - your daughters, sisters, mothers are vulnerable, and you can help.
Please be vigilant for this on nights out. Please take urgent steps to report this if you see it happening in clubs or pubs.
We must also appeal directly to the preparators of these crimes.
A lot of the early messaging on this from the HSE seems to be aimed towards women and girls; highlighting the dangers and encouraging them to stay vigilant on nights out. However, who is talking to young men about consent, about the right to bodily integrity, about the fact that this is just plain wrong?
If you need to drug a woman for control of her, to make her talk to you, to make her like you or be interested in sex with you, then be in no doubt - there is something very wrong with you.
CULTURAL CHANGE REQUIRED
If you hear your mates joking or bragging about this practise, put them straight – this is not acceptable behaviour.
Through early education we can begin to see real cultural change in how we treat women and ensure zero tolerance for harassment and sexual violence in all its forms.
There are good conversations happening on college campuses around consent these days, but we really need this to start at a young age in school.
We must review our State-funded RSE resources and curriculum to ensure it is keeping up with the times in which we live.
I understand the An Garda Siochana are monitoring this situation and I want to see zero tolerance for any perpetrators of this crime.
ZERO TOLERANCE
Years ago, former Minister for Justice Nora Owen made it a specific offence to injure a person with a syringe, and increased penalties for those who used syringes as a weapon.
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There must be zero tolerance for this from our police, zero tolerance from nightclub and bar staff, and zero tolerance from men.
This issue has weighed on the shoulders of women for far too long, and men need to recognise their role in putting an end to this once and for all.
